Rough inauguration day for new Venezuelan leader

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro waves from a vehicle, next to his companion Cilia Flores, during a military ceremony recognizing him as Commander-in-chief to the military at the Paseo Los Proceres in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April, 19, 2013. Maduro, who has the support of the Chavista bases, needs all the momentum he can muster to consolidate control of a country struggling with shortages of food and medicines; chronic power outages; one of the world's highest homicide and kidnapping ra
— AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro waves from a vehicle, next to his companion Cilia Flores, during a military ceremony recognizing him as Commander-in-chief to the military at the Paseo Los Proceres in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April, 19, 2013. Maduro, who has the support of the Chavista bases, needs all the momentum he can muster to consolidate control of a country struggling with shortages of food and medicines; chronic power outages; one of the world's highest homicide and kidnapping ra
/ AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro salutes from a vehicle, next to his companion Cilia Flores, during a military ceremony recognizing him as Commander-in-chief along the Paseo de Los Proceres, or "Promenade of the Forefathers" in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April, 19, 2013. Maduro, who has the support of the Chavista bases, needs all the momentum he can muster to consolidate control of a country struggling with shortages of food and medicines; chronic power outages; one of the world's highest— AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro salutes from a vehicle, next to his companion Cilia Flores, during a military ceremony recognizing him as Commander-in-chief along the Paseo de Los Proceres, or "Promenade of the Forefathers" in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April, 19, 2013. Maduro, who has the support of the Chavista bases, needs all the momentum he can muster to consolidate control of a country struggling with shortages of food and medicines; chronic power outages; one of the world's highest
/ AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures from a vehicle during a military ceremony recognizing him as Commander-in-chief along the Paseo de Los Proceres, or "Promenade of the Forefathers" in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April, 19, 2013. Maduro, who has the support of the Chavista bases, needs all the momentum he can muster to consolidate control of a country struggling with shortages of food and medicines; chronic power outages; one of the world's highest homicide and kidnapping rates. (AP — AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures from a vehicle during a military ceremony recognizing him as Commander-in-chief along the Paseo de Los Proceres, or "Promenade of the Forefathers" in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April, 19, 2013. Maduro, who has the support of the Chavista bases, needs all the momentum he can muster to consolidate control of a country struggling with shortages of food and medicines; chronic power outages; one of the world's highest homicide and kidnapping rates. (AP
/ AP

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad greets Venezuelans upon his arrival to the National Assembly for President-elect Nicolas Maduro's inaugural ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)— AP

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad greets Venezuelans upon his arrival to the National Assembly for President-elect Nicolas Maduro's inaugural ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
/ AP

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez arrives for the inauguration of Venezuela's President-elect Nicolas Maduro atthe National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)— AP

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez arrives for the inauguration of Venezuela's President-elect Nicolas Maduro atthe National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
/ AP

Cuba's President Raul Castro, left, and his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales arrive to the National Assembly for the inauguration of Venezuela's President-elect Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)— AP

Cuba's President Raul Castro, left, and his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales arrive to the National Assembly for the inauguration of Venezuela's President-elect Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
/ AP

Wearing the presidential sash, Venezuela's newly sworn-in President Nicolas Maduro raises his fist before delivering his inaugural speech at the National Assembly during his swearing-in ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)— AP

Wearing the presidential sash, Venezuela's newly sworn-in President Nicolas Maduro raises his fist before delivering his inaugural speech at the National Assembly during his swearing-in ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
/ AP

Venezuela's newly sworn-in President Nicolas Maduro, center, embraces a daughter of the late Hugo Chavez, Maria Gabriela, as National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello stands by holding the presidential sash during Maduro's inaugural ceremony, in the National Assembly, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bit— AP

Venezuela's newly sworn-in President Nicolas Maduro, center, embraces a daughter of the late Hugo Chavez, Maria Gabriela, as National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello stands by holding the presidential sash during Maduro's inaugural ceremony, in the National Assembly, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bit
/ AP

A woman holds up images of President-elect Nicolas Maduro and the late Hugo Chavez as supporters gather outside the Parliament building where Maduro's inaugural ceremony takes places, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Gil Montano)— AP

A woman holds up images of President-elect Nicolas Maduro and the late Hugo Chavez as supporters gather outside the Parliament building where Maduro's inaugural ceremony takes places, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Gil Montano)
/ AP

Venezuela's President-elect Nicolas Maduro, left, and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello wave during Maduro's inaugural ceremony in the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)— AP

Venezuela's President-elect Nicolas Maduro, left, and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello wave during Maduro's inaugural ceremony in the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
/ AP

President-elect Nicolas Maduro waves to supporters as he arrives to the Venezuelan Parliament building for his swearing-in ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Gil Montano)— AP

President-elect Nicolas Maduro waves to supporters as he arrives to the Venezuelan Parliament building for his swearing-in ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. The opposition boycotted the swearing-in, hoping that the ruling party's last-minute decision to allow an audit of nearly half the vote could change the result in a the bitterly disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Gil Montano)
/ AP

A spectator, center in red jacket, is surrounded by bodyguards after rushing to the podium where President Nicolas Maduro, right, was speaking at the start of his inauguration speech inside the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. Startling millions watching on national television, the man shouted into the microphone what sounded like "Nicolas, my name is Jenry!" before he was tackled and dragged away by security. (AP Photo/Francisco Boza)— AP

A spectator, center in red jacket, is surrounded by bodyguards after rushing to the podium where President Nicolas Maduro, right, was speaking at the start of his inauguration speech inside the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 19, 2013. Startling millions watching on national television, the man shouted into the microphone what sounded like "Nicolas, my name is Jenry!" before he was tackled and dragged away by security. (AP Photo/Francisco Boza)
/ AP

CARACAS, Venezuela 
Inauguration day could have gone better for the man picked to lead Venezuela's socialist revolution for the next six years.

Hours before President Nicolas Maduro's swearing-in, his government announced it would allow a full audit of the razor-thin vote that the opposition says he won by fraud, which analysts said was likely a bow to both domestic and international pressure.

Then the massive crowds that used to pack the streets for late leader Hugo Chavez failed to appear.

Finally, a spectator rushed the stage and interrupted Maduro's inaugural speech, shouting into the microphone before he was grabbed by security.

It was an inauspicious start to the first full term of the burly former bus driver laboring in Chavez's shadow and struggling to inspire the fervor that surrounded the former lieutenant colonel during his 14 years in power. Maduro, who has the support of the Chavista bases, needs all the momentum he can muster to consolidate control of a country struggling with shortages of food and medicines; chronic power outages; one of the world's highest homicide and kidnapping rates.

Addressing a dozen heads of state including Presidents Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, Raul Castro of Cuba and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Maduro promised to address crime and purge the country's popular social service programs of corruption and inefficiency, although he mentioned few specifics.

Alternatively striking conciliatory and incendiary tones, he expressed willingness to deal with the opposition, although the government has made a series of similar promises that it hasn't acted on.

"I call the country to a revolution of socialist efficiency, to fight red tape, corruption, laziness, to fight backwardness, the culture of lethargy ... we'll turn these six years into a miracle of economic prosperity," Maduro said. "We will guarantee peace in this country, only us, and I say that with modesty ... I'm ready to talk even with the devil."

Venezuelan government officials appeared confident there will be no reversal of the result by an audit that's only slated to begin next week and could drag on well into May. Many independent analysts agreed. Still, the announcement of the audit by the government-controlled National Electoral Council was a surprise reversal for a government that insisted all week that there would be no review of Sunday's vote and took a hard line against the opposition - including the alleged brutal treatment of protesters.

The announcement late Thursday night came moments before the official start of an emergency meeting of the union of South American leaders, Unasur, to discuss Venezuela's electoral crisis. The leaders wound up endorsing Maduro's victory after their meeting in Lima, Peru. Analysts said that appeared to be in exchange for his concession to the audit.

"The democratic legitimacy of Unasur as a group and of each one its members would be placed in doubt if Venezuela refused to accept a recount," said Alexandre Barros, an analyst with the Early Warning political risk group in Brasilia, Brazil.